National artist Naowarat Pongpaiboon called for regular cultural events to be held across the country Thursday.
He was apparently inspired by the massive success of Bupphaesannivas (Love Destiny), a period soap opera that combines a love story with instructional lessons in Thai history and culture.
Mr Naowarat suggested every city and community should host events to raise awareness about the importance of Thai culture.
Younger people should also be encouraged to stage performances associated with their local culture and traditions, he said.
Thailand boasts a wide range of fascinating traditions. It recently listed at No.7 in a global poll of countries with the most outstanding culture.
But critics say these are not being properly delivered to the public. Also, more people are seeing traditional Thai culture as obsolete, Mr Naowarat said.
The veteran artist said it was the duty of all Thais as well as the media to popularise and export Thai culture, not just the Ministry of Culture or the government.
Mr Naowarat, who is also a National Reform Council member, made the remarks at Government House yesterday before attending a meeting of a national committee on culture.
"Although we [Thailand] are rich in terms of our culture and traditions, they don't last long because we don't have the art to deliver them properly," he said.
"Thai people are yearning for the past, and for their identity. However, they can't find it because they don't have it. They only go with the cultural tide of Japan, South Korea and other countries which export their culture through soap operas and films," he added.
"In South Korea, there is an arts and cultural industry that sells culture through art. We don't have that. But when we do, we will cling to it right away," he said.
Actually, Thailand has a lot of tales to tell but we lack the storytelling art to produce great films, books, comics or music," Mr Naowarat said.
In another development, Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said yesterday the ministry's committee to promote and conserve intangible cultural heritage agreed to add 18 items to an intangible cultural heritage list.
They are classified under six categories: folk literature and language; arts performances; rituals and festival; local natural wisdom; ancient handicrafts; and local play, sport and martial arts.
The 18 include the Thao Saen Pom folk tale, which falls under the first category. The second has likay (a Thai traditional dramatic performance) in Phichit and Nakhon Sawan.
Sanai, a musical instrument from Si Sa Ket, has also emerged as a hot topic, as has Wayangkulae, a shadow puppet performance in the southern province of Yala.
In addition, khanom farang kudeejeen, a Thai dessert baked in Bangkok, soft-prepared chalk (din sor pong) from Lop Buri and Luang Pu Sook's ancient medicine handbook in Chai Nat are also added to the local wisdom category.
